[miningmx.com] — Around 55 temporary workers from SAN Labour Hire are refusing to come out from underground at Anglo Platinum’s Rustenberg operations on Wednesday, the mining company said.
“The employees are working in the central shaft sections and have converged in the waiting area underground; most of them are members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM),” Anglo Platinum said in a statement.
The employees had started the “illegal strike action” late on Tuesday.
Management was in contact with the striking employees through radio and local union officials were assisting in the process, Anglo Platinum said.
“Several attempts were made to persuade the striking employees to come out to surface by management and the NUM delegation who addressed employees – but to no avail.”
SAN Labour Hire was earlier granted a court interdict forcing employees to come out from underground “but employees ignored the interdict”.
On Wednesday morning, 214 permanent employees refused to proceed underground where the temporary striking employees were sitting, citing safety issues.
Anglo Platinum said it would consider other steps should the employees refuse to come up to the surface but it was “giving dialogue a chance” with the support of the NUM.
NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka confirmed the incident.
“It seems the temporary workers ignored the interdict and we are letting our legal team handle this.”
